This is crucial work, since organizations have little chance of surviving and thriving today if they do not excel in both areas. As a consultant and coach, I bring crisp insight matched with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this work.

Background

I began my career as a statistician in a big pharmaceutical company. After a couple of years working on project teams within and across silos, I became less interested in data analysis, and much more interested in how people interact together to get things done.

My company went through a lot of change, including two significant mergers within ten years. Mergers can throw processes, plans, and people way off kilter – a perfect time to see how well we work together, and how we often just don’t. This organizational disruption provided the ideal opportunity for me to alter my path. I joined other intrepid folks in the task of helping two companies become one (we called it “business process redesign” the first time, “integration and redesign” the second). My career shifted – I embraced the change, and began studying change.

At the same time, I was noticing what a difference differences make in getting things done together. Differences in who we are, how we think, how we feel, how we behave. Differences in how we hear and are heard, how we influence and can be influenced. How we relate to each other while we notice (or not) these tensions among us. I wanted to engage across differences in ways that are meaningful and productive, in ways that help create space where we can get things done together. Tall order!

I have been exploring both change and difference for over 20 years. A variety of experiences have contributed to my knowledge base:

Working both internally and externally with a variety of organizations, improving the way they deal with change and difference

Earning a Master of Science in Organization Development from American University/NTL Institute